


Open Office

by velocitygrass



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Community: mcsmooch, M/M, Oblivious Rodney McKay, Surprise Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-28
Updated: 2009-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-26 06:51:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14396619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: There's a new guy in the cubicle next to Rodney's.





	Open Office

**Author's Note:**

> Content note: Surprise Kissing as a means to fight Rodney's obliviousness (aka sexual harassment in the workplace, but thankfully Rodney is more than on board in this fluffy piece of fiction)

"Rooodney."

Rodney sighed inwardly as the dark shock of hair appeared over his cubicle wall, quickly followed by a face and two arms leaning on it.

One of the things he hated most about this job (apart from his bosses obviously not appreciating his genius and the general stupidity of _everyone_ ) was the open office space. He hated cubicles with a passion and these weren't even full grown ones but the sort that was just low enough for others to drop by and peek at what you were doing (or not doing) or in John Sheppard's case to lean and ask one irrelevant thing or another.

Sheppard was new to the company. Rodney had noticed that too often physical attractiveness was disproportional to brain capacity so he hadn't been impressed by his good looks, but as it turned out Sheppard was actually quite intelligent (not as smart as Rodney, of course, but within acceptable limits). He also wasn't easily offended which was a big plus. The last three people who had occupied the cubicle next to Rodney's had ended up in mortal combat of cubicle warfare with him and while nobody could beat Rodney in anything, let alone office annoyances, it had taken up far too much of his valuable time.

Of course, now this time was spent talking to Sheppard who seemed like a puppy that started whining when nobody paid attention to him. Several times during the day, Rodney would hear his drawn out name before Sheppard's head appeared above the cubicle wall and he'd ask things about procedures ("Yes, we do have to copy our time sheet and no, it's not very efficient and no, it won't be of any use to tell someone."), what Rodney liked to eat ("Not lemon. I'm deathly allergic to citrus."), if there was a place to hang out after work ("Like I'd voluntarily spend more time than necessary with these people.").

Sheppard did actually drag him to a place after work the other day. They'd had a beer and Rodney couldn't remember what they'd been talking about but he'd had a pretty good time. In fact, considering how much of a pest Sheppard was (taking into account the incidents of disturbance per hour), Rodney was only mildly annoyed by him and often amused. Sometimes he was also just puzzled by the way Sheppard's mind jumped around. Like when they'd had a beer and he'd said apropos nothing, "Why don't we go to my place? I have more and better beer and a PS3." Rodney told him that he'd still have to feed his cat.

"I could get seats for the Yankees next week," Sheppard now said brightly.

"I'm not really interested in football," Rodney said dismissively.

"Or any sport apparently," Sheppard muttered, giving Rodney one of his strange looks before disappearing again.

Rodney was almost finished with his report when it occurred to him that Sheppard hadn't disturbed him for nearly an hour. He was getting worried. On his way to get a coffee, he casually looked over the cubicle wall. Sheppard noticed and looked up, smiling when he saw Rodney. "Hey."

"I was just going to get a coffee," Rodney said, lifting up his cup.

"Yeah, sure. I'll join you," Sheppard said, picking up his almost empty glass of water.

"How's your first big project coming along?" Rodney asked as they walked down the hall.

"I wouldn't call it big. It's more getting into how things work here," Sheppard said.

"Which must be disappointing," Rodney said with a sigh.

"I like the place," Sheppard said. "Well, some things more than others," he added, grinning at Rodney and bumping his shoulders with him.

It was probably one of those things that guys did. Guys that weren't Rodney, that is.

Rodney poured himself a cup of the acceptable coffee while Sheppard filled up his water glass.

"There's an exhibition opening next week not far from here. I thought maybe you'd like to go," Sheppard asked, giving Rodney one of his weirdly intense looks.

"What kind of exhibition?" Rodney asked, sipping on his cup.

"Photography. Local people and buildings. I think there'll be appetizers." Sheppard added the last with a slightly seductive tone.

"Oh, okay. Maybe," Rodney said.

"Maybe?" John asked.

"Ask me again next week."

"You have plans?" John asked, sounding disappointed.

"Not now, but I might have. You never know when a chance for a date comes up," Rodney said matter-of-factly.

John stared at him. Then he blinked. "Right."

"Oh God, I still have to finish my report," Rodney said, covering his face with one hand.

They walked back to their cubicles. Sheppard was uncharacteristically subdued.

Rodney forced himself to finish the report without making note of how stupid they were all to require ten pages for something that should be _obvious_ to anyone who wasn't a complete idiot.

He copied the report to the server and sent out the emails, when he noticed a message from Sheppard in his inbox.

_I'm not sure I've made myself quite clear when I asked you_ out.

Rodney wondered what piece of information about a gallery opening could really make a difference. He stood up and peeked over the cubicle wall. "What do you mean?" he asked impatiently.

Sheppard stood up. "You really don't know, huh?"

Rodney frowned. People seldom accused him of not knowing something. They usually told him he knew everything better.

"Okay," Sheppard said, reached over the cubicle wall and took Rodney's face in his hands.

Rodney had one second to wonder what the hell kind of crazy thing Sheppard was up to now when his head was pulled forward enough for his mouth to meet Sheppard's.

Oh. John's. Yeah, all right. John. John was kissing him and apparently Rodney was fully on board with that because he opened his mouth and eagerly kissed back.

Far too soon John pulled away. "Did this clarify a few things?" he asked.

Rodney could only look at his wet lips. "Yeah. Yes. All clear now. Gallery. Date. Check."

"I've reduced you to one-syllable words," John said smugly.

"Gallery's not—" And then Rodney was kissing him again.


End file.
